Fence wire clamp



July 1.3, 1943- Bv. E. WATERMAN "2,324,445

FENCE wIEE CLAMP v Fired Jan. a, 1942 r' mwN-m". R. mwN-Drs' :n

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Patented July 13, 1943 IUNlTED STATES FATENT ``OFFICE w .1' W -2,324,445

v 'FECEWIREicLfiM-f l ABertha'E. Waterman, Indianapolis, Ind. l

Application J'nliary 2, 194e, sei-iai ivo.425,464M sclaims.' (crass-54) This invention relates to an improved ,con struction of aclarnp for attachinghhoriaontal strands of yfence wireto fence postsandrwhich clamps are` also intendedanrd adapted `for use in connecting the horizontal and vertical strands of wire forming a fence atthe intersections -thereof More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a vclamp for the* above described purposes of simple construction and which can be quickly and easily applied or removed and by means of which adjustment may be readily made in the strands of wire,'held by the clamp, by releasing the clamp to permit the strands of wire to be moved relatively thereto.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing two of the clamps applied to a fence post,

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken substantially along the plane of the line 2-2 ofFigure 1,

Figure 3 is an elevational view of another application of the clamp, Y

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially along the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3, y

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane Yof the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 showing the clamp in the position that it will assume when used without the fastening for clamping to the strands of fence wire,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan View show-1 ing the clamp in its position of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 8-8 of Figure 7, and

Figure 9 is a plan View of the blank from which the clamp is formed. l y

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein ,like reference -characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, and referring particularly to Figure 9, II) designates generally an elongated strip of metal having corresponding ,end portions 'I the longitudinal edges of which converge to points from the intermediate portion of the strip Ii). Strip I0 is relatively wide intermediate of its ends and is provided in its intermediate portion with an opening I2 which is elongated and disposed lengthwise .thereofi and which is preferably ofthe saine'shape substantially ,as the strip I9.- Bef tween ends `of the .opening-'I2 and the `remote ends of the portions II,` said portions II are provided with longitudinally spaced, similarly disposed openings` I3 and I4. Strip Ii) is adapted to be folded upon itselfu intermediate of its ends and along the dottedline I5 to form a clamp, designated generally I6, having a relatively Wide folded end Il which is provided with a substantially V-shaped'notch I8 which opens outwardly of the fold Il and Whichis formed by the two corresponding end portions of the opening I2. When the strip I0 is thus folded, the openings I3 and I4 of the end portions II as disposed substantially in alignment, as best seen in Figure 2.

In Figures 1 and 2 the clamp I6 is shown applied to a conventional metal fence post I9 having a side 20 provided with spaced openings 2|. To attach a horizontal strand of Wire 22 to the fence post I9, a portion of the strand 22 is positioned in the fold I'I, as best seen in Figure 2, after which either of the pair of openings I3 or I4 is positioned in alignment with one of the openings 2| and a bolt 23 is passed through said openings and a nut 24 is applied to the threaded end of the bolt for detachably fastening the clamp I6 to the fence post I9 and for drawing the end portions Il together so that the strand of wire 22 will be frictionally clamped in the fold I1. In Figure 1 two of the clamps IB` are shown mounted one above the other on the post I9 and with the strand of Wire 22 extending through one of the clamps While the other clamp is shown without a strand of Wire extending therethrough.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5 the clamp I6 is shown applied for connecting a horizontal and vertical strand of Wire forming a part of a fence and when thus employed the clamp I6 is disposed substantially in a horizontal position and with the horizontal strand of wire 22 extending through the fold I1 thereof in substantially the same manner as the strand is applied .to the clamp in Figure l. The strand 22 combines with the inner portion of the notch I8 to form an opening in the vertical strand of Wire 25, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5. 'I'he strands of wire 22 and 25 are applied to the clamp I6 while its end portions `II are disposed substantially parallel. A nut bolt fastening 23, 24 is then applied, preferably to the openings I3 for drawing the end portions II together, as seen in Figure 5, so that the vertical strand 25 willfrictionally engage the inner edges 26 ofthe notch I6 and the strand v22, Bndso that the strand 22 will also frictionally engage the inner side of the folded portion l1 to hold the two strands clamped in the clamp I6.

As illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8, clamp I6 can also be utilized for holding the strands 22 and 25 without the fastening 23, 24. If thus employed, the strands 22 and 25 are applied in the same manner as previously described and while end portions H are held substantially parallel, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 6. End portions l l are then released and due to vtheresiliency of the clamp will spring away from one another to their full line position of Figure 6.1 This will cause the outer edges 21 of the notch I8 to frictionally engage the strand 25 andto `retain it in frictional engagement withA the strand 22 so as to hold the strand 22 in frictional engagement with the inner side of-.the' fold |111 for effectively holding both of the strands` in the clamp I6.

Various modifications and changesa-ref contemplated and may obviously be'resorted-te, provided they fall within thespirt andseopeof the invention asA hereinafter definedl byltli'eappended claims, as only a,A preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed;

I claim as my invention:

l. A fenee- Wire olamp-ceniprisinglan elo'n'gatedV plate of relatively resilient material, said plate having an elongated opening, disposed longitudinally of the plate and intermediate of its ends, .the walls of the ends of said opening acutely disposed, said plate being folded upon itself, intermediate of its ends, said opening forming a notch which opens outwardly of the folded part of the plate, said fold being adapted to have a strand of wire extending therethrough, the strand of Wire combining with the notch-to, form angopening adapted to receive a secondstra'nd' of wire, said second strand of Wire frictionallyv engaging edges of the notch and the rst mentioned strand to irictiorlallyv retain the strands in the clamp.

2: A clamp as in claim y1, the ends of the plate being-normallyfdisposed in diverging relationship so that the outer edges of the notch will frictionallyengage the second mentioned strand, andY said'ends being movable to parallel positions for releasing the strands from frictional engagement.

3. A eiamp'as inv'claim- 1i, the*er1-dportions'of the:platehaving-alined openingsA to receive fastening means for clamping'thel end-portions to'- getherso that the strands-'Will-belfrictionallyfengagedfby the clalmmp'; 'Y Y 

